Am I ready to Run a Half Marathon?

I’m planning to do something I have never done before. I set my sights on a mini-marathon in the fall.

I ran ten miles once.

More than 35 years ago.

My feet really hurt afterwards and I vowed I would never run that far again. At the time, I was running cross country and regularly running 6 or more miles almost daily.

I haven’t really been much of a runner for several years. Back in 2010 I started running regularly and worked my way up to 8 miles. I maintained that fitness level for about a year and since then I have gained almost 40 lbs. I have managed to lose 15 of that recently, but being almost 10 years older has really made a difference. I have been trying to run 3 days a week for the last six weeks or so, but my distance hasn’t improved all that much. I have two more weeks before I start the training plan in earnest.

I whipped out my google fu and found a training plan that will hopefully get me ready to make the distance. I am running the “race” on my 55th birthday. My weight loss plan should help a lot. I am almost where I want to be to start the training. I am just shy of comfortably running 3 miles. Fortunately, the training plan is a slow build so I am hopeful I can do it.

I am not trying to do anything other than finish before they close the race down and everyone but my wife is gone when I get to the finish line.

My aunt is in her sixties and she runs several full marathons a year. I will NOT be doing that.